The Philippines is an Asian island country known for its tropical climate, scenic natural beauty and rich biodiversity. It is a very popular traveller destination.

Overall security situation: security challenges exist Social tensions and grievances: elements of society are discontented, leading to tensions and some acts of disquiet State resilience capabilities: institutions would be extremely vulnerable to any future shock, crisis or disaster Conflict situation: skirmishes or limited confrontations have caused fatalities in recent years Civil unrest: low level of risk; protests and demonstrations are frequent and occasionally disruptive but they are usually non-violent Terrorism: moderately high level of risk with clear threats and incidents taking place on a sporadic basis Crime: moderate crime rate with petty and violent crimes Murder rate: high Gun ownership levels: average in comparison to the rest of the world Kidnapping hotspot: yes Maritime piracy hotspot: yes Do landmines/unexploded munitions pose a significant risk in parts of the country: yes

Is tap water drinkable: no Healthcare quality: very good healthcare provision Infectious disease prevalence: moderately high

Vaccinations

Travellers should consult a medical practitioner prior to their trip but the following vaccines may be considered before travelling to the country, depending on factors such as specific destination, planned activities, intended time and length of stay as well as personal medical conditions (in some cases no additional vaccines may be required at all):

Cholera (usually only recommended for aid workers or those spending time in at-risk areas)

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis B (not always needed)

Japanese encephalitis

Rabies (usually only for long-term stays, or for those spending time in isolated areas or coming into contact with animals)

Typhoid

Standard vaccinations (ie those commonly used in the developed world, such as diphtheria, measles, mumps, polio, rubella, tuberculosis and tetanus)

Climate: tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October) Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands Natural disaster risk: one of the highest levels of risk in the world Natural hazards: astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms each year, mainly between June and December; flooding; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis Tropical storms: common Volcanic activity: significant volcanic activity; Taal (elev. 311 m), which has shown recent unrest and may erupt in the near future, has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Mayon (elev. 2,462 m), the country’s most active volcano, erupted in 2009 forcing over 33,000 to be evacuated; other historically active volcanoes include Biliran, Babuyan Claro, Bulusan, Camiguin, Camiguin de Babuyanes, Didicas, Iraya, Jolo, Kanlaon, Makaturing, Musuan, Parker, Pinatubo and Ragang Previous earthquake(s) with over 1,000 fatalities: yes

This should take into account the likelihood of potential risks affecting you, as well as the likely impact they will have, and will help you decide, depending on your risk appetite and implementable risk mitigation measures, whether or not you should proceed.

Foreign government warnings

Pay attention to the advice issued by your government and/or other countries (such as the US or UK).

For most travellers, it will be very much advisable to avoid any areas deemed to be high-risk by official government bodies.

For those who need to travel to these locations for work, personal or other essential reasons should consider the risks likely to be present and take appropriate measures.

Insurance may not be valid for travel undertaken to these areas, so it is advisable to check with your provider before travel.

Note that areas of official high-risk might change at short notice.

Weather

If rainfall, flooding, extreme temperatures or other types of severe weather are a concern, check the local weather patterns to find out if there are times of the year where the risk is much higher.

Consider avoiding travel to at-risk destinations during these times.

Try to stay in good quality accommodation.

Take appropriate clothing and footwear.

Take appropriate protection for any sensitive equipment you wish to bring.

Note that storms, flooding and other types of harsh weather can overload infrastructure, lead to traffic jams and power cuts.

Flooding and heavy rainfall can also raise the risk of landslides, as well as insect- and water-borne diseases in some parts of the world.

As such, be prepared to delay, alter or even cancel travel plans to affected or high-risk areas.

Infrastructure

Be prepared for potentially poor-quality roads and other forms of transportation.

This can make it difficult to get around.

Consider obtaining a high-quality vehicle that can handle difficult terrain if you intend to travel anywhere with particularly bad-quality roads.

Bear in mind that traffic safety conditions may be poor.

Try to ensure that any accommodation or workplace is located in a good quality building.

Bear in mind that in the event of an accident or emergency, the emergency response services may have very limited resources available.

Road traffic accident

Be aware of local driving conditions and hazards.

Drive defensively and adhere to speed limits to minimise the risk of being caught up in an accident, or request that your driver(s) do the same.

If using a taxi or local driver, ensure that they are qualified and competent and that their vehicle appears well maintained.

Bear in mind that healthcare facilities and services may be less extensive than what you are used to at home.

Facilities and services may be particularly limited in rural areas.

Pharmacies may not offer the same medications you might be accustomed to being able to purchase at home.

If you use any medications on a regular basis, consider taking extra supplies.

It may also be advisable to have them accompanied by a note from your doctor.

In the event of serious or complicated illness or injury it may be necessary for a patient to be evacuated out of the country.

Ensure that there is sufficient medical insurance in place to cover such an event.

Disease

Find out what specific diseases are present in your intended travel destinations.

Research the specific measures you should take to lower the risk of infection, bearing in mind that the disease(s) in question could be water, air or insect-borne.

It might be useful to seek medical advice prior to your trip.

If possible, do this several weeks in advance of your travel, in case you need to obtain specific vaccinations, some of which can take time to be administered properly.

Be aware of any potential outbreaks which may be taking place in the country.

Be careful with any cuts and grazes which might be more susceptible to infection in your travel destination than at home.

Hygiene will be very important, but it can be more challenging to maintain good standards of hygiene in some parts of the world where sanitary products, cleaning products and even clean water can be hard to obtain.

It might be advisable to bring extra supplies with you.

It would be better to take them and not use them than to leave them behind and then need them in a challenging situation.

You may also encounter challenges over where and what you want to eat.

Try to avoid venues which appear unsanitary.

Be very aware of any medical symptoms which might arise, both when you are travelling and for up to a month after you return home.

Seek medical assistance if you have any concerns.

Bear in mind that local doctors in your home country might not be familiar with certain tropical diseases.

If you become ill on your return, inform your doctor where you have been and ensure that unfamiliar tropical diseases are taken into consideration as a possible diagnosis.

Terrain

If travelling to areas with more challenging terrain types, bear in mind that you might need to take specific and specialised equipment and clothing.

Some terrain types might be more hazardous at different times of year so research any seasonal variations and work out the best time for you to visit.

You may have to alter your behaviour and consider certain types of medication, such as if you have to travel to high altitudes.

Areas with challenging terrain are often sparsely populated and/or with underdeveloped infrastructure.

Not only can this make it difficult for you to travel there, it may also make it difficult to get out if you need to, or for any assistance to arrive in the event that you encounter difficulties and need help or evacuation.

As such, have backup plans in place, methods of calling for help even if local communication networks are poor and aim to be as medically self-sufficient as possible.

Seismic activity

Be prepared to respond at short notice to any seismic activity.

Create an emergency plan to follow in the event of an incident that involves a communications breakdown, so you can meet colleagues at a designated meeting point if you are separated and cannot get in contact with one another.

Practise drills such as “drop, seek cover and hold on” procedure so that you can take shelter as soon as an incident occurs.

Consider carrying a whistle that can be used to alert first responders in the event that you are trapped after an earthquake – although bear in mind that in some circumstances and/or locations there may not be much in the way of first response capabilities, particularly following a damaging earthquake.

In the event of an incident, avoid damaged buildings that might still be at risk of collapse.

Be prepared for aftershocks.

Note that earthquakes can trigger tsunamis and landslides so be prepared to move out of harm’s way once the shaking has stopped.

You may need to move very quickly and with limited time.

Volcanic activity

In at-risk areas, pay attention to official warnings and observe exclusion zone orders.

Ensure that you have sufficient supplies (such as food, water, medications and fuel) as well as good working vehicles so you can leave very quickly if needed.

Be prepared to react to evacuation orders and actual eruptions at short notice.

Be prepared for possible travel disruption in the event of an eruption, which could affect flights and lead to congested roads and fuel shortages.

Depending on the level of risk, consider having a shelter in your accommodation and/or place of work if it is in an area which could be affected by heavy ash fall, as this could provide you temporary shelter in the event of an eruption.

Crime

Research and familiarise yourself with your destination in advance of travel.

Find out what the local criminal trends are and identify any potential hotspots, such as certain neighbourhoods.

Note than crime levels can often be higher around public transport, shopping areas and crowded places.

In higher risk areas exercise caution and be aware of your surroundings.

Try not to overtly display your belongings or anything that could make you appear wealthy.

Ask yourself if you need to show off your jewellery, watch, mobile phone or other items or equipment.

Try to keep your wallet or cash hidden.

It also helps to avoid appearing vulnerable in at-risk areas so try to display confidence and purpose as you move around.

Avoid consulting a map in public as this will mark you out as both unfamiliar with the environment as well as being potentially vulnerable.

Familiarise yourself with local maps and directions before wandering around.

Identify routes to your accommodation and other safe havens (such as police stations, embassies, commercial areas with a police presence or quieter, safer neighbourhoods for example).

Familiarise yourself with landmarks so you can orientate yourself and find your way out of trouble spots if you need to.

Note that crime trends can change, and the level of risk can become higher, after dark.

It might be advisable to avoid wandering around at night.

Avoid dark alleys in urban areas.

It is might also be advisable to travel in pairs or in a group.

It may also be preferable to drive or be driven around certain areas rather than walking around in the street, even for going relatively short distances.

In general, use your gut instincts and be prepared to avoid situations, places or people that seem suspicious, odd or wrong in some way.

Kidnap

Make sure that your organisation and loved ones are ready to respond in the event that you are taken.

Consider appropriate insurance arrangements.

Otherwise, in at-risk areas keep knowledge of your plans and movements to a small circle of trusted individuals.

Take family photos with you as this can help humanise you in the eyes of your captors, which could elicit sympathy and potentially encourage them to treat you better.

Keep a low profile, but also consider travelling in pairs or in a group in order to appear less vulnerable, depending on the circumstances.

Vary routes and routines so as to make it harder for any potential abductor to plan an attack against you.

Consider undertaking close protection services if the local security environment requires it.

Civil unrest

Civil unrest can lead to road closures and even curfews, which can affect your travel plans.

Be prepared for delays and route alterations.

Avoid demonstrations as they can turn violent.

Large gatherings of people can be difficult to predict or control and can lead to issues such as mob violence, arson, assault and looting.

The security forces may use excessive force to control events in some circumstances, posing an indiscriminate risk to anyone in the area.

Even without any particular violence, large demonstrations can be at risk of poor crowd control, which can lead to crushes and stampedes.

If demonstrations take place on a frequent basis, research the trends which tend to accompany them.

Where do they tend to take place? Do they tend to turn violent? Do attendees target specific types of building or representative interests associated with a specific nationality, industry, political group (such as party-political offices, state buildings or foreign-owned businesses)?

Once you have identified the sorts of risks, trends and areas of higher risk to be avoided you can start planning to minimise your exposure.

If civil unrest appears to be particularly volatile, or set to last for an extended period, try to stock up with essential items (including food, water and medicine) in case you are stuck in your accommodation or work place or other location for an extended period of time.

Be prepared to alter your plans at short notice and even to leave the area or even the whole country if conditions escalate. deteriorate.

Identify evacuation routes and safe havens in case you need to get out of harms way at short notice.

It is also advisable to identify the evacuation routes and fire safety procedures at your accommodation and/or work place in case you need to leave in a hurry.

Beware of photography at sensitive sites or during civil disturbance.

Terrorism

Monitor and assess the trends and tactics of any relevant terrorist organisations with the potential for targeting your location and identify potential targets.

For particularly at-risk areas, the most effective risk mitigation advice is simply to avoid them.

Use your judgement on the frequency of incidents taking place and decide whether or not your journey to an at-risk location is needed.

Be vigilant in and around higher-risk areas, which could include crowded places, symbolic or sensitive political sites, or busy restaurant, nightlife or tourist spots.

Depending on the situation and circumstances (including your own work, nationality, lifestyle and other profile aspects) you might need to enact security measures for protection in higher-risk areas.

Be aware of your surroundings and be prepared to react at short notice in the event of an incident.

In the event of an incident, get out of the area quickly if it is safe to do so.

Alternatively hide and try to keep out of harm’s way.

In most cases you should only try to help other people if it is safe for you to do so.

Keep quiet and notify the relevant authorities, colleagues or loved ones only when you are out of danger.

Instability

Bear in mind that conditions could deteriorate in the future.

Monitor the news closely and pay attention to official advice issued by foreign governments (such as the British Foreign Office or US State Department).

Stay in communication with other people working and/or travelling with you, as well as your colleagues, employers and/or loved ones out of the country.

If such a deterioration takes place, note that the process could be gradual, or it could be very sudden.

Have contingency plans in place, including evacuation routes, safe havens and alternatives if these areas suddenly become unsafe or unreachable.

During a crisis, roads might be blocked or congested, airports could be chaotic, and borders may be sealed so it helps to have a range of potential options.

In times of heightened tension, be prepared to leave at short notice.

Alternatively, if the situation on the ground is hazardous, it might be preferable to stay in a ‘hold fast’ position in secure accommodation and await conditions to stabilise.

Have adequate stocks of fuel, food, water and medication to either stay in the hold fast position, or to take with you on your journey, in case it involves lengthy delays.

Have your valuables and other essential items close at hand and ready to take with you at short notice (for example in a ‘grab bag’).

Ensure that you have adequate insurance in place to cover you for an evacuation if one is required.

Unexploded ordnance

Find out where the at-risk areas are in a country and consider avoiding them, particularly if any minefields are poorly demarcated.

If you have to go to an at-risk area, consider undergoing minefield awareness training first.

Seek local knowledge on the whereabouts of potential unexploded ordnance as residents will often have the most up-to-date information.

Stick to well used roads, routes and paths.

Don’t touch or approach suspicious items.

If in doubt when travelling, especially on foot, turn back and retrace your steps.

If driving in an at-risk area, avoid leaving the vehicle as far as possible.

Take particular care after heavy rainfall as flooding can wash away warning signs or even displace unexploded ordnance and move it into new areas.

Religious or conservative attitudes

Exercise sensitivity in societies which place a high value on perceived morality, even if it goes against personal beliefs and values.

Research what local cultural practises, attitudes, values and laws you will need to be mindful of before travelling.

Note that some behaviours, interactions and attire may also attract unwanted attention, cause offence or trigger a hostile response.

Note that some subjects may be taboo so avoid discussing them with people if you think it might cause offence.

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Staying permits: No visa requirements for most western countries. After three months you have to apply for a staying permit at the bureau of immigration. The max. period of extension is two months and costs PHP 3.000. It can be repeated endlessly, however every 5 years you need to exit the country. A one day trip to e.g. Hong Kong is sufficient. Due to the high travel warning for West Mindanao and the Marcial Law declared by the president for the entire island of Mindanao there are almost no Westerners in the area. Often you are the only visitor to the office of immigration so that there is no waiting time. After a check on the police data base you get your paper tamp on the passport within less than 15 minutes. If you overstay you have to pay a fine depending on the number of days you overstayed. Beware the weekends, they count as well, so better chose the Friday before the expiry date. Additionally you need to apply for a tourist card in.the size of a credit card. It is valid for one year and costs PHP 4.000. It has practically no practicable use. All you need is your passport. The Tourist Card is practically useless but mandatory. You need to bring one foto 4 by 4 inch and passport copies of the main page, the page with your last entry stamp and a copy with your last extension paper stamp. There are a number of other kinds of staying permits available for foreigners married to a Filipina/Filipino, students for studying purposes, pensionaires and others.

Security: There is a risk of armed warlike fights like e.g. The Zamboanga Siege in 2013. There are on a daily basis several helicopter patruolles in the area, usually is groups of two with three different kinds of helicopters. There are regular mobile check points by the national police. The kidnapping risk is moderately high, both ashore and at sea. The main purpose of ransom requests. Often the kidnapped persons are deported into the forests of the southern islands of Basilan and Jolo. Targets are both, wealthy locals and foreigners. Beheadings after a failed ransom negotions are quite common. Do not act important or wealthy. If you build a house, make it simple with wood or bamboo with a metal type roof. Mind red light districts. Prostitution is common but illegal and heavily fined with long jail terms. It is common that it takes one year or longer in police custody until you see the judge for the first time. There is no budget for the police station to provide food. It must be brought by friends or relatives. In police custody mobile phones and the exchange of clothes for cleaning are allowed. Thereafter you will be transferred to the city jail. There you get food. If you pay an extra PHP 6.000 you are transferred into a cell with mattraces. Otherwise you have to sleep on the floor. Be careful with critisism on the president or the administration. The president recently announced that foreigners or organizations meddling in their affairs will be expelled from the country.

Infrastructure:

There are not car taxis in the area. You need to take a trike, a jeep or an abal abal (motorcicle taxi). There are regular electricity black outs. Also water and telecomunication are subject to regular break downs.

Health: Apart from all common tropical diseases there are a significant number of rabies cases here. Mind straying dogs, cats and bats. When walking through busches or high grass use a stick to make noise to avoid unexpected contact with a cobra or iguana. Both are be ominous but normally not deadly. Recently all public areas were declared smoke free areas. The city has sworn in 6 persons to supervise it and to fine the wrongdoers. If you are not sure if you are on a public place better ask first.

Digital security is deemed to be poor in the city so take care of your electronic devices, emails, signing in to social media accounts on public computers (such as internet cafes) etc, particularly if you are dealing with anything sensitive, such as a commercial contract, journalism, etc

The eruption of Mount Mayon is expected to lead to three months of disruption according to the country’s disaster response authorities. Local residents have been evacuated from the volcano area; respiratory illnesses may be exacerbated and local routes are likely to be closed. Flights are also being interrupted. At the same time there is a risk of unsanitary conditions and disease outbreaks in areas where refugees from the volcano are being temporarily housed.

Several people have been killed by landslides following heavy rain caused by tropical storm Kai-tak (also known in the area as Urduja). Many people have been displaced from their homes, power cuts are being reported and some roads have been blocked. Ferry services have also been disrupted. The weather is reportedly easing but the death toll may rise and travel disruption is likely to continue for the coming days at least, causing difficulties for many people travelling for the Christmas holidays.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-42385661

There may be a rise in killings by both the police and vigilantes targeting alleged drug dealers and users after President Duterte ordered a resumption of the war on drugs. Similarly, opponents of the initiative may take to the streets to demonstrate against the killings, which may have an impact on localised travel where they take place.http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/950179/duterte-orders-pnp-back-to-drug-war

The traffic problems across Metro Manila cannot be overstated and should be factored into all logistical planning. Traffic is bad pretty much everywhere in the city all the time outside the dead of the night, but especially at 6am–9am and 4pm–7pm. It’s even worse on Friday evenings. Expect journeys of a few miles to take an hour or more during peak hours, especially if you’re using EDSA, the city’s main thoroughfare.

You need to have proof of onward travel when before entering the Philippines. You will usually be required to show it your airport of departure.

If you really don’t want to plan ahead, you can just buy a dirt-cheap flight to Hong Kong to circumvent the requirement and then never use it – you can sometimes get one-way tickets for around $30 or less (try Tiger Air flying from Clark really late at night or really early in the morning).

Safety standards at Sibulan Airport can be a bit lax. When flying to Manila in 2013 there were no x-ray scanners for carry-on bags (and potentially not for check-in luggage), just a bored-looking guy poking around in people’s bags with a stick.

You may hear that the area around P Burgos Street in Makati is a “tourist hub”. This is true to a degree and there are lots of hotels around there, but it’s also the location of the red light district, and it can be a bit sleazy and unpleasant after hours.

Carry a lot of small change on you, because taxi drivers tend to suddenly have no change when a Westerner gets into their vehicle (or they give you the change very slowly, note by note, waiting for you to just say “keep the rest”). The problem is worse when you’re picked up at places where foreigners congregate, such as the airport, in parts of Makati or in Manila proper (especially Ermita and Malate).

If you’re driving, be careful around policemen looking for bribes. If you have not done anything wrong, then refuse to pay anything. If you have done something wrong, then paying a bribe is probably the simplest way to handle the problem. Once they see you’re not a local, they may up their bribe asking price. Do not accept the opening demand. For minor infractions, around 500 pesos is a good amount. Do not hand over your passport. (In 2011 we committed all the above mistakes and paid 3,000 pesos – we later found out this was way too much.)

Be careful around the Cambugahay Falls and make sure you always watch your things – a friend had his camera stolen while swimming there in 2013. The local police were very friendly and helpful, but they barely had any resources and there was little the could do.

Martial law is to remain in place on the island until the end of the year, according to the Defence Secretary. Expect sporadic terrorist attacks in the meantime, although at a much lower than frequency than before the clampdown on militants in Marawi city.

Apparently fighting has ended. Hopefully there will be a downturn in violence in Mindanao in general although it will remain unstable with the potential for more violence and terrorist attacks against further down the line.

The fighting between the government and local militants seems to be entering its final phase. There will likely be one or two more clashes as the security forces eliminate the remaining fighters but hopefully it will all be over in the coming few days/weeks.

The British FCO advises against all travel to western and central Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago.

It also advises against all but essential travel to the remainder of Mindanao (excluding Camiguin, Danagat and Siargao Islands) and to the south of Cebu province, up to and including the municipalities of Dalaguete and Badian.

It doesn’t advise against travel to other parts of the country at the time of writing.

Be sure to check in early as the queues for security can be long and there can be additional security checks on your hand-luggage once you’re through the initial security check. You may have to pay a traveller departure tax so have some pesos on you to spend. It can be up to 2,500 pesos for the different fees you might have to pay. It can get hot in the building so consider travelling with light clothes. The luggage storage in the cabin of the planes tends to fill up pretty quickly so either try to travel light or wait close to the boarding gate before the announcement so you can get on board quickly. The airport taxis are overpriced so if you can get someone to collect you from the airport it would be better. It can be chaotic outside as well.

Expect more military confrontation in Marawi and the wider Mindanao area over the coming days/weeks. Duterte shows no sign of being conciliatory after the breakdown in the ceasefire. More violence in and around Marawi is almost certain.

There are no known specific restrictions on photography of sensitive buildings or people but situational awareness is always advised, especially around police and military installations and government buildings.

Individuals must carry identification at all times (a photocopy of the relevant passport pages is normally sufficient).

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AnonymousMay 23, 2017

Advice for Countrywide area

The Philippines is a great country that boasts over 7,000 islands. It’s great for some sand, sea, and sun, not to mention warm and cheerful locals. I’d just recommend to fly in Manila but go outside the city for some exploring. Manila is known for its bad traffic and congested streets due to being home of the central business district. Plus, there’s nothing much to see but high-rise buildings. Other than that, the Philippines is a great and safe place!

I’d agree that the Philippines is a great country, but I think Manila does have some things worth seeing if you can find a friendly local to show you around!

Also, I think it’s a bit much to call the Philippines “safe” – while most trips will be trouble-free, you do have to keep your wits about you for petty crime in Metro Manila and other big cities, while parts of the south of the country are very dangerous for conspicuously foreign travellers.